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3. Soap is choice. It was a cold and windy autumn day in New York City. Soapie was sitting

on a bench in Madison Square Park. He always sat on the same bench. He was a little nervous

because winter was on its way. He watched the dead leaves falling from the trees. This

was a sign of the coming winter. He had to get ready for it. It is time for me to go

to a warm place, said Soapie, to himself. Of course, he was not planning to go on a Mediterranean

cruise or to a warm island in the south. He just wanted to go to prison on Blackwell's

Island. He wanted to spend the three months of winter there. In fact, he usually spent

his winters in prison. Soapie decided to go there at once. When he slept on the park bench

the night before, there were three newspapers under his coat and around his ankles. But they

did not keep him warm at all. Soapie had several ways of getting himself into prison.

The best method was to dine at a luxurious expensive restaurant and leave without paying

the bill. Then the waiters would call the police and he would find himself in prison.

He decided to try this easy and pleasant method. He left the park quickly. He walked from Madison

Square to Broadway. He stopped in front of a brightly lit restaurant.

I will eat a roasted chicken, he said to himself. It will keep me full until I get into prison.

He decided to order a bottle of expensive French wine and cheese too.

And I will ask the waiters to buy me a cigar, he said to himself, with a smile on his face.

But first, he had to get to a table near the door and sit down quickly.

When I am sitting, nobody will see my shabby trousers or shoes. They will only see my coat

and shirt. They are quite clean and I have a tie on, he said to himself.

The coat, shirt and tie belong to a dead man. The man's kind wife gave them to Soapie on Thanksgiving

He was walking to the nearest table. The head waiter noticed his old dirty trousers and shoes.

With his strong hands, he quickly and silently turned Soapie round and pushed him out the

door to the sidewalk. Soapie stood on the sidewalk for a while.

I must try another method, he said to himself.

Then he walked to the corner of Sixth Street. He noticed a brightly lit shop window.

He stopped in front of it and picked up a cobblestone from the sidewalk.

He threw it at the shop's window and smashed it into pieces.

Several people came running round the corner. In front of the group, there was a policeman.

Soapie just stood there with his hands in his pockets. He smiled to himself when he saw the policeman.

Who broke this window? Did you see him? The policeman asked Soapie.

I did it. There was no one else here. He answered in a friendly way.

The policeman did not believe Soapie, because if a man breaks a shop window, he runs away.

Just at that moment, a man was running to catch a taxi. So the policeman began to run after

that man with his club in his hand. Soapie was disappointed again.

I have no luck today, he thought to himself, sadly.

There was another restaurant across the street. It was not an expensive or luxurious one.

He could walk in there with his old dirty shoes and trousers on.

The customers were poor people. He went in and sat at a table.

He had a steak, pancakes, doughnuts and a slice of pie.

After this big meal, he called the waiter and said,

I don't have any money, I won't pay the bill. You can call a policeman, but be quick, I can't wait.

We don't need a policeman, said the waiter angrily.

He called another waiter, and together they threw Soapie out. They gave him a good beating outside.

There was a policeman standing in front of a nearby shop. He saw the beating, but he just laughed and walked away.

Soapie got back on his feet and began to walk down the street.

After a few minutes of walking, he saw a young, nicely dressed woman. She was looking at a window shop.

And there was a policeman next to a lamp post about two metres away from her.

Soapie thought this was a good chance for him.

He went near the woman and began to stare at her.

He tried to catch her attention with a few coughs, but the woman moved away a little.

Meanwhile, the policeman was watching Soapie.

Then Soapie came closer to the woman and in a bold way said,

Ah, nice lady, can I buy you a drink somewhere?

The policeman was still looking, and Soapie thought to himself.

She will call this policeman now, and he will take me to the police station.

But surprisingly, the woman held out her hand to Soapie and caught his coat sleeve.

Oh sure, I'd love to have a beer with you, she said quietly.

I didn't speak to you at first because the policeman was looking at us.

So, Soapie had to walk together with the woman.

But he quickly sent the woman away at the next corner.

Soapie was very upset now.

How am I going to get in prison?

He thought as he walked.

Then he stopped in an area with theatres and opera houses around.

He sadly looked at the rich men in their heavy coats and women in thick fur coats.

They were walking happily in the cold weather.

They didn't mind the cold or the wind.

He saw a policeman in front of a theatre hall.

Soapie suddenly decided to try another method.

He stood in the middle of the sidewalk.

He began to scream and say stupid things like a drunken man.

The policeman saw this, but didn't do anything.

He turned his back to Soapie and spoke to a man nearby.

He drank a lot of alcohol.

He is drunk, but not dangerous.

We don't arrest these people, he said.

Soapie was disappointed once again.

He was very angry at all the policemen.

Why didn't they arrest him?

What was wrong with them?

Then he saw a well -dressed man entering a shop.

The man placed his silk umbrella against the door and began to talk to the shopkeeper.

Soapie went inside quietly.

He stole the umbrella and walked out with it.

The well -dressed man saw this and shouted,

Hey, it's my umbrella.

Soapie stopped and said, yes it is.

Why don't you call the policeman on the corner?

The policeman came near them.

Then the well -dressed man said to Soapie,

Oh, I am sorry, I made a mistake.

I took this umbrella at the cafe this morning.

But if it is yours, please forgive me.

Of course it's mine, said Soapie angrily.

Then he walked away with the umbrella.

Then the policeman went away to help an old woman across the street.

It was getting darker and much colder.

Soapie hated all the policemen.

They were not doing their job.

He threw the umbrella away angrily.

He lost all his hope and began walking to Madison Square Park.

He was going back home to his bench.

While he was walking through a quiet street,

he saw a little old church.

A soft light was glowing through one its small windows.

He stopped in front of that window and heard sweet music coming from inside.

This place is just like the churchyard in my home town.

Thought Soapie to himself, sadly.

Then he thought about his old days.

He was a good and happy man in those years.

He thought about his mother, his friends and his plans for the future.

Then he thought about his life now.

I don't have a home.

I have got no money.

My biggest wish is to spend the winter in prison.

And suddenly he made an important decision.

He decided to change and become good again.

Tomorrow I will find a job.

I will work and have a normal life.

Just at that moment someone touched his arm.

Soapie turned around.

It was a policeman.

What are you doing here?

Ask the policeman.

Nothing.

I'm just standing here and listening to the music inside.

Answered Soapie.

You must come with me, said the policeman.

He took Soapie to the police station.

The next morning in the police court, the judge said.

Three months in prison on Blackwell's Island.